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I'm not getting my hopes up considering this thread started in 2008... 😁

With the Buffalo Heights development and the rumored 100 Waugh Upgrade,  I think the original would have fit in just fine. Happy to see something else filling in here.

34 minutes ago, j_cuevas713 said:

Is it just me or are those sidewalks going to be tiny?

And super close to the road for some reason...

Wonder what the building opposite the parking lot from michaels is?

Accounted for:

Two apartment buildings

Michael's

Office with ground floor retail

Cinemark

Parking structure

Went to B&B today. Parking only on west side of taco deli building and angled parking across from it. Or, of course, the usual mandatory Houston valet at B&B.

1 hour ago, Avossos said:

Fence is up on the site and permits were given last week. Hope to see this start soon!

What's the parking situation down there now?

Glad this has signs of life and seems to be progressing. 

11 hours ago, Ross said:

I've been here since 1976, with a few moves overseas for work, and 18 months in California. Houston is home to me.

 

Many of the rear parking lots have awkward spaces. I drive an SUV, and there's often little room to maneuver due to aisles being too narrow, bad angles, etc. Given where we live, it is unlikely we will be walking to many places, since I am not going to walk 2 miles to go to dinner. that means driving. If businesses want to make it hard for me to patronize them, that's fine, there are a myriad of other places to go.

I can understand all of those points. I suppose my counter would be that restaurants in this area don't make it very easy to patronize with their mandatory valet (who then park right in front of the building).

All this is moot since the developers have the final say, but in my experience, street frontage building creates more pedestrian friendly corridors and positive economic impact. 

It also looks much nicer, but we all know houston has low (basically no) priorities when it comes to aesthetics

3 hours ago, Ross said:

What is this obsession with putting buildings right up on the street? It sucks, big time, when that happens. Parking belongs in front, where it can be seen before you enter the lot, not hidden away in the back, where weirdly angled spots make it hard to park, or a fence is an issue. 

I understand the benefit of seeing the parking lot, but I dont really follow the thought that parking in the back is more difficult. In most cases the parking area allocation is exactly the same, front or back.

Personally I believe building to the street encourages foot traffic which also promotes a more cohesive pedestrian experience. Long term, if density is desired, well placed parking structures could support multiple businesses. 

Out of personal curiosity, are you from Houston or been here the bulk of your life @Ross?

6 hours ago, skooljunkie said:

 

haha--who was the influencer with the one at Jackson Hill...

I'd like to know...I certainly made my opinion know to that developer.

Love to see vacant lots go away. Hope it spells the death of the two bars across from it. 

Wonder if we can influence them to do street frontage with parking in the back?

loopnet listing:

https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/4112-Washington-Ave-Houston-TX/14259512/

I dont know why I even waste the time reading or watching Metros plans. I dont think they will ever convince me that a Bus is a real mass transit option. 

So based on these renderings/detail there will be office space, apartments, a movie theater, a Michael's, west elm, and at least one giant parking lot.  Missing anything?

2 hours ago, Texasota said:

The city is already planning to put in bike lanes on Shepherd and Durham. I don't know if they're planning on taking a car lane from each street or what, but even just taking each street down the 3 lanes would help.

 

The other thing that would really help? Lights at 10th, 12th, 13th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th, and 30th streets. The biggest problem with this couplet is how difficult it is to cross.

If they add that many lights I can guarantee there will be at least one less car that ever goes down either street

Yes it is. Hoping we can call it impressively designed and vast one day and hopefully before I move away. 

I appreciate the photos, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed that it's still just a pile of dirt. 

Yes, looks like it. Although the photos in the article all from all over developments.

What an upgrade! Why can't I shake the feeling this is not actually going happen?

If bike lanes are what it takes to get some re-pavement work done (especially the stretch of Waugh from Allen parkway to Gray, and even Westheimer) then I'm behind it. 

The road management in the city core of Houston is just laughable. By far the worst of the 7+ cities I've lived in. And those included very warm climates and very cold climates alike. 

Knowing Houston they will just slap some lines on the ground and call it a bike lane. Our motto should be "the good enough!" City

Structured parking?!?!?  Don't they know this is Houston and 4 acre parking lots in front of the buildings are how things are done here?

Joking aside, I'm really excited for this development and I too would like to see them build the structure from the start. Looking forward to groundbreaking so 1818 becomes a reality and not another missed oppty. 

16 hours ago, Urbannizer said:

Potential tenants coming to Buffalo Heights: 

 

Chipotle

Zara

H&M

 

http://buffaloheights.sdcopartners.com/directory/

Are these phase 2? I dont recall retail space in this initial phase?

As I looked through the site more, they appear to show images of 100 Waugh.  Further supports my thought this entire area will be more cohesively developed and dubbed Buffalo Heights. 

New dirt is nice, but I'd like to see site plans and renderings  I at least need to know if i should keep following this or just throw in the towel. 

On 9/29/2018 at 8:33 PM, HNathoo said:

The economics of this blow my mind. This is $90psf dirt. How is that even possible??

Well they are much larger and better funded than I thought... 137M revenue last year

https://bestfriends.org/about-best-friends/financial-information

40 minutes ago, HNathoo said:

The economics of this blow my mind. This is $90psf dirt. How is that even possible??

Was my first thought but my friend said it's a done deal, assuming it is a lease, but still...

Maybe he is wrong and/or misheard, but suggested a 12-18mth build out

2 hours ago, mkultra25 said:

Try as I might, I'm having trouble seeing how that could be considered bad news. 

My opinion, as someone who lives down the street, is based on two main factors:

1. Aesthetics will not be a priority, so I expect it to look only moderately improved, much like the half-ass renovation at Dialyspa. (Admittedly I have a significant beef with Houston in general around aesthetics)

2. Looking past the fuzzy feelings of finding animals homes, it will essentially be a shit and noise factory. (I have lived near a kennel before)

All that said, I will probably volunteer there, I just wish something different would have gone in.

Heard some bad news on this, going to Best Friends Animal rescue...